San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1887-07-28
NO 81

perity OF the state, and faisehoods IN
tended to confirm this view are con-
stantly invented and circulated In
every section OF the country, and es-
pecially in states where movement
is being made to Danish saloons. /
am receiving daily from different
states letters making inquiries con-
corning the effects and results Of our
temperance laws on the financial,
commercial and other msterial inter-
ests Of our state, and these letters all
indicate that the work of maligning
Kansas is going on in every section Of
the country. Permit me, therefore,
to give you the real facts.
The prohibition amendment to our
constitution was adopted in the au-
tumn of 1880, and the first laws to
enforce it went into effect in May,
1881. The war to Danish saloons was
for some years only partially success
full. The amendment had been adopt
cd by very meagre majority, and
public sentiment in our larger cities
was overwhelmingly against il. As
late as January, 1885, saloons were
open in fully thirty of the larger cities
Of Kansas, including Topeka, capital
of the state; cut steadily and surely
public sentiment against them spread
and intensified. The small msjority
that had voted for the amendment
was reinforced first by those law.re-
specting citizens who are always
willing to subordinate their personal
opinions to the majesty Of the law,
and second by an equally large num-
ber, who, observing the practical re-
suits following the abolition Of 90
looms in different cities and towns
became convinced that Kansas would
be more prosperous, happier and in
all respects better community Of
people if it had not an open saloon
in it's borders. So the sentiment Of
Kansas against the liquor traffic h4s
grown and strengthened until to-day
I very much doubt whether of its
800, 900 male voters more than 75,-
600 would if they could invite back
and reinstate saloons.
One argument Of the whisky inter-
ests, viz: that saloons promote the
prosperity and growth Of communi-
ties, has been answered in Kansas by
the convincing logic of facts. In 1880
the population OF this state as shown
by the census was 996, ,093. In March
1896, as shown by tina state census,
it was 1,406,738, and it is now fully
1850, 900. In 1880 Kansas had only
1,1O4 miles of railway within her Dor,
ders. On the LIST Of March last the
state board of railroad assessors re-
ported 6,028 miles for taxation, and
from 600 to 800 miles will be added
to this aggregate before The close Of
the year. In 1850 the assessed value
Of all real and personal property Of
the state aggregated only $l60,891,-
698. On the LIST Of March, 1886, the
total was $287, ,575,363, and for the
present fiscal year the returns thus
far received indicate total Of $780,
100000. In 1880 there were 5,316
school houses, 2,514 churches and BAT
newspapers in Kansas. There are
now fully $500 school houses, $500
churches and TOO newspapers. In
1880 only 55-towns and cities had Q
population in excess of 1000 each,
In 1887 more than 200 towns have
each over 1000 inhabitants, fully rs
have each over 5000 and four have
each over 10000, In 1880 only s.
86S,000 acres were planted in crops.
This year the area planted exceeds
18,000,000. In 1880 the value Of
farm products in Kansas was only
$84, ,521, 900; for 1856 their value was
over S264, 100000. For the fiscal
year 1880 the per centage Of the state
taxation was FIVE and one-half mills;
for the present fiscal year the total
percentage levied for all state pur-
poses is only four and one half mills.
During the past two years and bah
I have organized seventeen counties
in the western section of the state
and census takers have been appoint
ed for other counties, leaving only
two counties remaining to be organ
lied. The cities and towns OF Kap-
sas, with hardly an exception. have
kept pace in growth and prosperity
with this marvellous development of
the state. Many Of them have dou-
bled their population during the past
year, and it is a remarkable fact that
several cities and towns languished
or stood still until they abolished
their saloons, and from that date TO
the present time their growth and
prosperity has equalIed, and in some
instances. surpassed that Of other
places with equal and natural advant-
ages.
Summing up, the facts Of the cen
sus confute and confound those WHO
assert that the material prosperity Of
any community is promoted BY the
presence Of saloons, So far as Kan
sas and all her cities and towns are
the reverse of this asser-
ton is true. The most wonderful era
Of prosperity, Of material, moral and
development and growth
in the country, cities and towns ever
on the American continent
has been illustrpted in Kansas during
the six years since the Temperance
10 our constitution was
and especially during the
rasf fEo Years. The period Of its not